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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

6-word stories

Getting the post out on time this week!

Six-word stories
(or, sometimes we just need to think small)

Ernest Hemingway's shortest story consisted only of six
words:

"For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn."

Not too long ago, Wired magazine challenged
several science fiction writers to do the same...tell a complete story in only
six words. I've only included three below as examples, but you can visit the
website for dozens of examples. Notice that most of them are more than one
sentence:

Automobile warranty expires. So does engine.

- Stan Lee

Machine. Unexpectedly, I’d invented a time

- Alan Moore

Longed for him. Got him. Shit.

- Margaret Atwood

Sometimes these are fun to write on their own, other times this works as a new way to look at an old character or event. Remember, sometimes it isn't MORE words that you need, but fewer.